Means for supplying air to the furnaces of locomotive-boilers



(No Model.) 5 Sheets- S'heet 1.

T. O. CRAVEN.

MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES OF LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS.

No. 311,475. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. G. CRAVEN. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES 0F LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS. No. 311,475. Patented Feb. 3. 1885.

Ji /2M (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. T. O. CRAVEN. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING' AIR TO THE FURNACES 0P LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS.

No. 311,475. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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. 5 SheetsSheet 4. T. G. CRAVEN. I MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES 0F LOGOMOTIVE BOILERS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

T. 0. CRAVEN. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES OP LOGOMO'TIVE BOILERS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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THOMAS C. CRAVEN, OF GREENBUSH, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ABRAHAM SOHELL, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE FURNACES OF LOCOMOTIVE-BO ILERS.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,475, dated February 3, 1885.

' Apolicntion filed March 5, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. CRAVEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Green bush, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Means for Supplying Air (or air and steam combined) to the Boiler-Furnaces of Locomotives,&c.,of which the following is a specilica tion.

Myinvention relates to means for introducirg air (or air and steam combined) under pressure into the ash-pit of the furnaces of loco motive'boilers by the force of the exhauststeam e nployed in whole or in part as it is disc iargcd from the steam cylinder of the locomotive. As will be readily perceived, my improved means might be applied to other classes of .highpressure engines and their boiler-furnaces, the same principles of operations being preserved.

The object of my invention is, pri1narily,'to introduce air (or air and steam combined) under pressure into the ash-pit of the furnace of the locomotive by the force of a current of escaping exhan am, from the cylinders through an air p sage-way communicating with the ash-pan, and thereby force a greatly-,

larger volume ofair (or airand steam combined) into and through the body of the incandescent coals in the furnace to effect a more perfect combustion of the fuel and gases arising therefrom, and avoiding the waste and annoyance attending the throwing out of sparks or unconsumed fuel through the smokestack, as heretofore has been the case in locomotives having their exhaust-steam discharged into the stack, and also to increase the effectiveness of the locom0- tive by dispensing with the contracted exhaustnozzles heretofore employed to produce the draft, and substituting another means for supplying an increased amount of air to the fuel and at the same time allow the locomotive to be free from the baclcpressure induced by the use of the said contracted nozzles, which are dispensed with by my invention.

Secondary objects of my invention are to provide simple and effective devices which will not be liable to get out of order,and which will be so under the control of the engineer or fireman that he will be able at will to introduce a greater or less supply of air under different pressures or velocity of movement into and through the burning coals, while the smoke arch and smoke stack will be wholly unobstructed by exhaust-pipes, screens, &c., heretofore employed. I attain these objects by means of certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction, relative arrangements or combinations of parts, and modes of operation,all of which will be hereinafter fully described in reference to the accompanying drawings, (in five sheets,) forming a part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a locomotive having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal view from above, taken at line 1 1 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the 10- comotive from above. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of a locomotive with one-ha'if broken away and exposing sections of parts of my invention. Fig. 5 is a vertical view taken at line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the exhaust-pipe leading to the steam and air blower or injector discharging into the ash-pan, with parts broken away, and. illustrating the peculiar construction and operation of the various parts. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same with parts broken away. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken at line 3 3 in Fi 9, and illustrating the peculiar construction, arrangement, and principle of operation of other parts. 9 is a sectional View of the same, taken at line 4 4: in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a front view of the mechanism for operating the valves and controlling and regulating the volume and direction of discharge of the exhaust-steam.

In all the figures like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, Arepresents a locomotive of any class or style of construction; B, the boiler; 0 G, the cylinders; a, the live steam pipe; D, the fire-box or furnace; b, the grated firebed; c, the boiler-fines; cl, the smoke-arch; E, smoke-stack, and F the ashpan. All said parts are so well k uown as not to require any particular description.

G is the saddle-box beneath the smoke-arch (1 at the forward end of boiler B. Within this box are arranged exhaust-steam pipes ff, leading from cylinders O G to chamber H. This chamber is located beneath boiler B, and is divided longitudinally and vertically intequal compartments h h by divisionpiece It to within a short distance of the discharge end of said chamber, as shown in Fig. 6.

Leading from compartments 1th are semiannular branch exhaustpipes g supported from the boiler by feet 2' t, as shown in Fig. 8.

Leading from the contracted rear end of chamber H is the longitudinal exhaust-pipe I, extended forward beneath the boiler to near the front end of ash-panF, as shown in Fig. 7. The upper ends of the semi-annular exhaustpipes approach each other and terminate in valve-chambersKK, ofequal capacity. These valve chambers are separated by partitionpiecej, as shown in Fig. 8, and connect with the vertical exhaust-pipe L, Figs. 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, located at the rear of smoke-stack E.

These valvechambers K K are each provided with a valve, 70, which is adapted to be moved in one direction to fully-open the same for effecting a discharge of all the exhauststeam in the direction of arrow 1, and in the opposite direction to close or partly close (as may be necessary) the said chambers, for purposes hereinafter more particularly described. Exhaust-pipe I is carried from chamber H beneath the locomotive to near the front end of the ash-pan, and connects with steam blower or injector M. This steam-blower, is shown in the drawings to be arranged horizontally in front of the ash-pan and transverse in relation to pipe I, and is made with a length from end to end preferably a little shorter than the extreme width of the ash-pan F, and with a vertical depth greater than the diameter of pipe I; The upper and lower walls of this steam-blower are extended rearwardly in a gradually-contracting manner, substantially as illustrated by full and dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 7, and terminate in lips m m, which are separated by a horizontal slit, m, of about one-quarter of an inch (more or less) in ver tical extension. This horizontal slit is the discharge-mouth of said blower. The front end wall, 0, of the ash-pan is made tight with the side walls thereof, and projecting through the front wall and into ash-pan F is the contracted discharge end it of the air-funnel N. This'air-funnel is arranged horizontally across the front wall of the ash-pit, and is made with a length from end to end a little greater than the length of the stean1-blower M, and with both a vertical and horizontal extension sufficient to fully receive within it the said blower M, leaving a free space between them all around, through which space the air will freely move and have passage into the ash-pit. The upper and lower walls of this air-funnel'gradually contract as they are extended rearward, and terminate in the long and narrow discharge-mouth n, projecting into the ash-pan. The contracted dischargemouth in of the blower M projects only for a short distance into the discharge-mouth n of air-funnel N, and is about central therein, so that about equal volumes of air will pass between the upper and lower walls of the steam-blower and air-funnel, as indicated by arrows, to and through discharge-mouth a into the ash-pan. The steam-blower M and air-funnel N are securely and rigidly held inplace by brackets 0, attached to the boiler or rear wall of the fire-box or furnace D. Valves k 7c in valvechambers K K are each mounted on a shaft, p, having its bearing in the end walls of their respective chambers,as shown in Fig. 9, the joint between these valve shafts and their bearings being steam'tight. Secured to the rear ends of each of these valve-shafts are segmental gears P P, working into each other. as shown in Figs. 3 and 10, and connected with one of the shafts p by a universal joint is the shaft orjointed rod Q, extending horizontally to the interior of cab R, and which is supported by brackets Z l. The rear end of shaft Q is supported in the cab by any proper bearing, and is provided with any proper mechanism for rotating the same, preference being given to the employment of lever q, provided with a pawl operating with a section of toothed gear, as is the practice in similar mechanism. Other devicesas, forinstance, a worm-gear may be employed.

Hinged to the rear end of the ash-pan F, at the upper edge thereof, is a door, F, which door is adapted to be raised to effect a greater or less opening at the rear end of this pan. Pivoted to this door is a lifting-rod, s, which projects upward throughthe floor of the cab, and is provided with a lifting-handle and detent-holes for receiving a pin as heretofore employed.

The manner in which the several parts of my invention operate is as follows: The exhaust-steam escaping from cylinders GO passes thence by pipesff to chamber H, as indicated by the arrows, and from this chamber the steam may be made to pass in the direction of the arrows marked 1, Figs. 6 and 8, to valvechambers K K, from which it passes to the open air through pipe L, when valves 7c are open, as shown in Fig. 8, and the steam will be made to pass in the direction indicated by the arrows marked 2 in Figs. 6 and 8, to be discharged from pipe I into steam-blowerM, when valves k 7c are turned toward each other and against partition-piecej, so as to close communication between valve-chambers K K and pipe L. When valves 7c 76 are partly closed say about halfway-a portionsay onehalf-of the steam will pass into and through pipe L and be discharged into the air, while the remainderwill pass through pipe I into steam-blower M, so that as valves is It are set more or less open the volume of steam discharged into' the steam-blower will be regultfised. By means of lever q, jointed rod Q, and gears P P the engineer or fireman may operate the valves 70 k to regulate and control the LOO discharge of the steam in either direction, I ofa suction of the air to the fire and flues of whether wholly in through pipe I to the steamblowor, or partly through that pipe and partly through pipe L, or wholly through the latter pipe. The steam passing through pipe I. is discharged into the blower M, from which it will escape through the slot m into the dischargemouthn ofthc air-funnel N. The force and volume of this discharge into and through the air-funnel will be regulated and controlled by valves kit, as above described. As the steam is forcibly ejected into the discharge mouth of the funnel there will be ateudency to produce a vacuum with its draft inthe direction ofthe arrows marked 3, which will induce a current of air into and through the said funnel and into the ash-pan F. This current will move forward into the ash pan with considerable force, (which may be varied at will by the valves k k and their operating mechanisnr) and will move upward with greateror less force through the openings in the fire-bed b, and thence upward through the body of the fuel in furnace D, where the oxygen in the air will unite with the carbon in the fuel and produce a perfect combustion of gases developed in the body of the fuel, thereby preventing the formation of smoke. The hinged door F at the rear of the ash-pan operates as a valve to govern the pressure of the steam and air in said pan and in the body of the fuel within the furnace, and may be opened or closed to a greater or less extent by the engineer. The forward movement of the locomotive will cause the air-fun ncl N to gather in the air and discharge the same into the ash-pan F under greater or less pressure, accordingly as the speed of the locomotive is increased or diminished. This force or pressure of the air, induced by the speed of the locomotive acting with the gradually-contracting side walls of the air-funnel,

is supplemented by the action of the wide and thin current of steam discharged from the blower M. It will therefore be readily understood that the steam-blower M and air-funnel N together form a steam and air blower which will supply a strong .blast of air, or air and steam combined, to the body of the fuel in combustion in furnace D.

\Vhenever, for any reason, it is desired to stop or lessen the draft through the fire, the operator, by means of the lever q or other con venient device, will open valves it It and raise the rear end door, F, of the ashpan, when nearly all the air entering the pan through funnel N will pass out through the opening made by raising door F.

By the above-described improvements the supply of oxygen to the fuel in combustion can be fully controlled and regulated to suit all the requirements for an economical combustion of the fuel, whether the locomotive is hauling a heavy or a light load, oris ascending or descending a heavy or a light grade. An other advantageous result is that the fuel is not burned in a partial vacuum, as is the case when the combustion is stimulated by means the boiler by exhausting the steam wholly through the Smokestack. Another advantageous result is that the hot gases developed in the flame-chamber of the furnace are caused to move more slowly through the fines to the smoke-stack than when the draft is induced by thedischarge of the exhaust-steam into the stack, so that a greater quantity of heat will be absorbed by the fines from the .gases in their slower passage than could be absorbed in their more rapid passage when induced by the draft from a full exhaust into the stack. Anotheradvantageous result obtained is that when descending a grade the engineer may at will stop all draft through the fiues by opening the exhaust-valves 7c is and door or valve I or cause a little draft to be had through the same by simply opcrating the exhaustvalves is, to cause but a small volume ofsteam to be discharged into the steam-blower while the door or valve F is closed, or byopening said door when the discharge of steam to the blower is greater. In some cases, when the flues of the boiler are of small capacity, a small exhaust-pipe located in the smoke-stack, and taking some of the steam for discharge upward into the stack, may be advantageously employed to relieve the open end of the stack from the natural pressure of the outer atmosphere; but such a pipe, employed in combination with the above-described improvements, forms no part of this invention, but will be the subject-matter of another application.

I am aware that jets of exhaust-steam and air have been introduced into the furnace from both below the fire-grate and above the same while other volumes of exhauststeam were being discharged upward into the smoke-stack.

I am also aware that exhaust-steam and air have been before introduced into the furnace from below the grate-bed; but the steam and air so introduced ,have been in the form of jets or small streams, and not in a wide and thin sheet extending across the fire-box, as is the case in my invention.

I am also aware that others have employed a series of small air and steam inlet openings made at intervals in the front wall of the ashpit of a locomotive; but such a,construction constitutes no part of my invention, as it will not produce a discharge into the front of the ash-pitof the widethiu sheet of air and steam, which is the characteristic feature in my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, with the ash-pan of a locomotive-boiler, of the oblong air-funnel above described, arranged horizon tally in front of and across the ash-pan, with its flaring open end on a vertical plane and facing in a forward direction from said front wall, and its contracted discharge end extended rearwardly through said wall to within the chamber of the pan, so as to produce between the latter and the outer air in front of the same a funnel- I zontally across the front end of said chamber,

shaped conduit having a horizontal extension about equal to the width of the ash-pan chamber, for operations and purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the ash-pan of the furnace of a locomotive-boiler and an oblong air-funnel extended horizontally across the front of said pan, with its flaring open end on a vertical plane and facing forward from said pan, and its contracted discharge end opening into the chamber of the same through the entire Width of its front wall, of a door or valve under control of the engineer, and arranged at the rear end of said pan and opposite to the discharge end of the air-funnel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The steam blower M above described, having an oblong steam-chamber for receiving and partially retaining a body of steam, said chamber being in length about equal to the width of the ash-box, and provided at oneside with an opening that communicates with a steam-pipe, and having on the opposite side agradually-contracted discharge port or opening which has an unbroken extension of length about equal to that of the steam-chamber, and being narrow in a transverse direction,whereby the current of steam will be discharged from the blower in a thin sheet, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the ash-pan of a locomotive-boiler, of the combined steam and air blowing devices above described, arranged horizontally in front of and across the said pan, the gradually-contracted ends of both the air funnel and steam chamber discharging into the pan from its front' side in currents which, respectively, will be wide in a horizontal direction and narrow in a vertical direction, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A steam and air blower forlocomotives arranged in combination with the ash-pan of the furnace, and formed by the combination of an oblong air-funnel arranged in front of and extending entirely across the said pan, with its flaring open end on avertica-l plane and its contracted discharge end opening into the chamber of the pan, and the steam-blowing device consisting of a steam-receiving chamber of a length equal to the width of the said funnel, and provided with a gradually-contracted discharge-nozzle having a long extension of opening in its horizontal direction and a narrow opening in a vertical direction, the said steamblower being arranged horizontally within the air-funnel, with its discharge end about central between the upper and lower contracting side walls of the same, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination,with the ash-pan of the furnace of a locomotive and a steam and air blowing apparatus, which is so arranged in relation to said chamber that its air and steam discharge ends will open into said chamber from its front side, with the length of the discharge-openings of the same extended horiof a door or valve at the opposite or rear side -of the said ash-pan chamber, and mechanism for opening the same under the control of the engineer, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with the ash-pan of a locomotive-boiler and the oblong air-fun nel N above describedarranged horizontally in front of said ash pan, with its flaring open end on a vertical plane and facing forward, and with its contracted discharge end projected into the front end ofsaid pan, with its length of discharge-opening extended horizontally across the front ofthe same, of the steam-blower M, constructed and arranged in relation to said air-funnel, substantially asabove described, and a steam-pipe communicating with the exhaust-ports of the engine and the said steamblower, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the ash-pan of a furnace and the combined steam and air blower MN, constructed and arranged in relation to said ash-pan, substantially as above described, of a pipe leading from the exhaust-ports of the engine, and provided with branchesyone of which connects with said steam and air blower for operating the same,

and the other arranged between the said engine and said blower, and a valve mechanism between said blower and the discharge end of the last-mentioned branch, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

9. In a locomotive-engine, the combination, with its exhaust-ports and a chamber, H, communicating therewith, of pipes g and pipe L, discharging the exhaust-steam into the air, and a pipe, I, connecting the chamber H with the steam and air blower M N, constructed and arranged as above described, and a valve located between pipe L and chamber H, all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

10. The combinatiomwith the pipe L, for

discharging exhauststeam from an engine into the air, and pipe I, for operating the steam and air blower, constructed and arranged with relation to the furnace, substantially as above described, of a valve or valves arranged between said pipes for operation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The duplex valves and chest above described, consisting of the chambers K K, separated from each other by a division-wall, j, and having a single discharge-opening, and valves 70 70, mounted on shafts p 19, provided with gears P P, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. The combination, with the separated steam-chambers K K, receiving the steam from the exhaust-ports of the cylinder, and having a. discharge-opening communicating with a pipe adapted to discharge the steam into the air from said separated chambers, and pipe I, having communication with the exhaust-ports of the cylinders and the said separated chambers, and adapted to lead steam to the steam and air blower of the furnace, of valves 7c It, for operation and purposes substantially as set forth.

18. The combination,with theexhaustports, of cylinders O, chamber H, pipesff, leading from said ports to said chamber, pipes g g, and separated chambers K K, provided with valves which control passages leading to a pipe which discharges into the air, and pipe I, connecting at one end with chamber H, and at the other end with a steam and air blower of the furnace, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In a locomotive'engine, the combination and arrangement, with pipes ff, leading from the exhaust-ports of the cylinders there of, and pipes g g, encircling the boiler and connecting with a pipe common to both. and which discharges into the air, chamber H, having division -strip h, and oppositely-located openings in its side communicating with said pipes g g, and a dischargeopening at its end which communicates with pipe I, leading steam to the steam and air blower of the furnace, of the described valve mechanism under the control of the operator, and which is adapted to control the discharge of steam in both directions, and also control the relative volume of steam discharged in the different directions at the same time, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

15. In a locomotive-engine, the combination and arrangement, with valve-chambers K K, receiving exhaust-steam from two pipes and discharging into a pipe common to both, of duplicated valves 70 7c, segmental gears P P, and rod Q, extending into the cab, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. The combination and arrangement,with valves 7c is, working in chambers K K by the simultaneous movement of gears P P, mounted on the shafts of said valves, of shaft Q, provided with a universal joint and extending into the cab of an engine, and lever q, pr0- vided with a pawl which engages with a ratchet located in the cab, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. In a locomotive-engine, the combination, withits cylinders and the ash-pan of the furnace, of the steam and air blower communicating with said ash-pan through its front wall, exhaust-discharge pipes, which are exterior to the smoke-stack, one of said pipes being adapted to discharge the steam into the air and the other into the steam and air blower, the described valve mechanism between said pipes, and a door or valve in the rear wall of the ash-pan chamber, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

THOMAS C. CRAVEN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SELKIRK, ALEX. SELKIRK, Jr. 

